Apparatus for molding and sinking concrete piling.



H. W. HILDEBHAND. APPARATUS FOR MOLDING AND SINKING CONCRETE FILING.

APPLICATIONFILED OCT. 18. I915.

Patented $111527, 1916.

Mir/for VA k. Z 4 i 7 0 J 2F 41 4 .X H

HENRY W. HILDEBRAND, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

. AIPPABATUS FOB HOLDING AND SINKING CONCRETE FILING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Application filed October 18, 1915. Serial No. 56,539.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, HENRY W. Hum:- BRAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State ofTexas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forMolding and Sinking Concrete Piling, of which the following is aspecification."

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming andsinking piles, blocks, slabs, and the like, referably constructed ofconcrete, and has or its object a method and provision of an apparatus,for carrying the method into effect, whereby the molding and sinking ofconcrete piles or the like is facilitated and the cost of which ismaterially reduced.

The invention contemplates the provision of a mold provided with amovable bottom having connection with a water supply under pressure sothat when the pile or the like has been formed within the mold and whilestill forming, the same may be sunk into the groundby the removal of theearth under the bottom of the mold, which is effected by a stream ofwater under pressure issuing from the pipe connected therewith. As theearth is adually washed away under the bottom 0 the mold by the force ofthe water issuing from the pipe carried thereby, said bottom graduallydescends under the weight of the concrete Within the mold, until thesame has reached solid ground and the water pressure has lost itsexcavating effect. It is to be borne in mind that the essential featureof the invention resides in the simultaneous making and sinking of apile or the like, or, in other words, the sinking of a concrete pilewhile the same is being formed. It is, also, to be noted that in themethod of making and sinkingpiles according to this invention, the moldor shell is not inserted or embedded in the ground and that the earth isonly excavated during the sinking of the pile. I

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and. further consist in a certain novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully describedand finally pointed out in the appended claims.

- In the drawings which formpart of the specification, Figure 1 is aperspective view of the invention illustrating the apparatuscontemplated thereby and the method employed for forming and sinking thepiles or the like; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectlonal view ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective .v-iew of another form of bottomfor the mold.

In carrying the method above set forth into practice, the inventioncontemplates the employment of a form or mold indicated on the drawingsby the numeral 1, and which may be of any shape, size or design toproduce the article to be molded. In the present instance, t ispreferred to show a tubular mold for forming concrete piles. The moldmay be supported in position-by any suitable means, such as by thetimber construction 2 having the spaced, horizontal beams 3 cmbracingthe tube on opposite sides adjacent its upper end and secured thereto bythe bolts 4. The upper end of the mold 1 may have its extremityoutwardly flared, as shown at 5, forming an enlarged mouth portion intowhich the concrete mixture is discharged from the feeding spout 6 of amixing machine, or the like. The lower end 7 of the mold'is closed'by abottom member 8 which is held frictionally or otherwise in position inthe mold. The bottom may have any convenient shape, for instance, thatofan inverted cone, as shown in Fig. 3. An end of the water pipe 10,extending longitudinally within the mold 1 and of a length in excess tothe length of the mold, is firmly threaded, or otherwise secured, in thecentral portion of the bottom, the upper end of the pipe 10 "havingsuitable connection with a water supply under pressure.

In carrying the apparatus thus constructedinto practice, a hole ofslight depth, when working on solid ground, may be dug to receive thelower end of the mold, then the concrete mixture is poured in at theupper end 5. thereof until the mold is nearly full. At this point thewater is introduced, .nn'der pressure, through the pipe 10, which isdischarged through the bottom 8 of the mold, this stream of waterforcing the loose soil out from under said bottom of the mold and theconcrete pile thus formed, in view of the tapering formation of themold, slides downwardly out of the mold as fast as the soil,is'washedfrom underneath the bottom 8. As the pile thus descends, more concreteis introduced in the upper end of the mold and the water pipe 10 whichis rigidly connected with the bottom 8 descends through the progress ofthe work until solid ground is struck and the excavating effect of thewater pressure has been entirely resisted. I

It is to be understood that the concrete poured into the mold is allowedto stand until the same is sufficiently set to with stand any erosioncaused by the action of the water which keeps boiling up all around thepile during the operation of sinking. T he purpose of placing the lowerend of the mold in a slight depression in the surface of the ground isonly to facilitate the commencement of the excavating operation of thewater jet. The mold, however, is not inserted in the ground as has beenheretofore common in cement pile sinking.

VJ hen the pile is thus formed and sunk, the extending upper end of thepipe 10 may he cut oil and the remainder thereof abandoned and allowedto provide a central reinforcing element for the pile. t may be founddesirable to construct the mold 1 of several sections which are boltedor suitably clamped together, so as to facilitate the use of the mold.

It is to be understood that this invention not only contemplates theforming and sinking of piles, but also of slabs, and blocks, which maybe used for abutments, etc. In the latter case, molds of differentconstructions may be employed, the bottoms of which may have connectedtherewith a plurality of water pipes 10.

In cases where piles are sunk in streams or rivers, the mold 1 is sunkperpendicularly to the water until it strikes the ground, the height ofthe mold being'regulated to the depth of the water, and operations arecarried out in the manner above described from a barge or in any mannerconvenient or desired.

It is believed that the foregoing is a clear and accurate description ofthe invention. However, it is to be understood that certain changes asto the exact construction and the apparatus may be resorted to thatcarry out the method carried out by applicant and that fall within thelegitimate scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, I claim-:-

1. A method for forming and sinking concrete piles or the like,consisting in introducing a concrete mixture in a form supported on thesurface of the ground, whereby the pile is formed, and in introducing ajet of Water, under the base of the pile for excavating the soilthereunder and permitting the pile to descend from the form into saidexcavation.

2. A method for forming and sinking concrete piles, consisting informing a portion of a concrete pile in upright position,

introducing a force of water under the base of said portion forexcavating an opening for the pile as the said portion descends, and informing more of the pile at its upper end as the pile descends into saidopening.

3. A method for forming and sinking concrete piles, consisting informing a portion of a concrete pile in upright position with means forthe introduction of water from its upper end to below its lower end, inintroducing water through said means to below the'lower end of the pileto excavate an opening for the pile, and forming more of the pile at itsupper end as the pile descends into said opening. 7

4. An apparatus forforming and sinking concrete piles or the like,comprising, means for forming a concrete pile having a portion removabletherefrom under the pressure of the contents in said forming means, andmeans associated with said removable portion for introducing a stream ofwater under pressure under said portion, whereby the soil nnder thelatter is excavated as it descends and said pile is permitted to moveout of said forming means into said excavation as said removable portiondescends.

5. An apparatus for forming and sinking concrete pilesor the like,comprising, a form adapted to have its upper end. rest upon the surfaceof the ground, a bottom for said form removable under the pressure ofthe contents therein, a water connection secured to said bottom andadapted to discharge water therethrough for excavating the soil.thereunder and permitting the pile in said form to descend into saidexcavation as said" bottom descends.

6. An apparatus for forming and sinking piles or the like, comprising, aform adapted to have its lower end rest upon the surface of the ground,a movable bottom disposed in the lower end of said form, a pipeextending through said form and slidable therein, the lower end of saidpipe being secured to said bottom and discharging water under pressuretherethrough for excavating I the soil under said bottom and permittingthe pile in said form to descend into said excavation.

7 An apparatus for forming and sinking piles or the like, comprising, aform adapts ed to have its lower end rest upon the surface of theground, a bottom disposed within the lower end of said form and movabletherefrom under the pressure of the contents in said form, a pipeextending longitudinally through such form and rigidly se cured tosaidbottom, said pipe providing a reinforcing element for the pile and beingadapted to discharge water through said bottom for excavating the soilthereunder and permitting the pile within said form to descend into saidexcavation.

8. An apparatus for forming and sinking piles or the like, comprising, aform adapted to have its lowerend rest upon the surthe soil thereunderand permitting the pile face of the ground, a bottom disposed withwithinsaid form to descend into said exin the lower end of said form andmovable cavation. v therefrom under the pressure of the con- Intestimony whereof I'have hereunto set 5 tents in said form, a hollowreinforcing my hand in presence of two subscribing 15 member for thepile secured to said bottom wltnesses.

and movable therewith, said hollow member HEhT RY"W;'I-IILDEBRAN D.having one end connected to a water supply Witnesses: o under pressureand adapted to discharge the ARTHUR GRIGG,

10 same through said bottom for excavating E. D. Pnmurs.

